Sarah Ballance's Blog, page 55

Reading Clean Blog Hop Sept. 6-12th

The Reading Clean Giveaway Hop is hosted by I Am A Reader Not a Writer, Clean Teen Fiction, and One Librarian’s Book Reviews. All giveaways posted for this hop are free of profanity, sex, and gratuitous violence. Want to check out more clean giveaways? Click here!

The Prize

My giveaway is a print copy of my paranormal romance Hawthorne (blurb below). This giveaway is open to everyone including international addresses, although void where prohibited. (If shipping is more than $15 to a given location, I reserve the right to substitute an e-copy instead. I’ve never had to do this, but need to say it just in case.)

To Enter

To enter, simply comment with your email address. The winner will be chosen with the help of random.org at the close of the blog hop. Although not required, please consider following my blog. All email subscribers are automatically entered in my weekly giveaways for a $10 gift card to Amazon or Barnes & Noble.

Hawthorne

After a terrifying encounter with the unexplained, it took ten years and the news of her grandmother’s passing for Emma Grace Hawthorne to return to her childhood home.   She sought peace in saying a proper goodbye, but what she found was an old love, a sordid family history, and a wrong only she could right.

Living in the shadow of Hawthorne Manor, Noah Garrett never forgot about Emma Grace.  In a house full of secrets, his search for missing documents revealed a truth that could cost him everything.  What he found gave Emma the freedom to walk away from the mansion, her heart free and clear, but at what price to Noah?

Want to win it? Leave a comment with your email address to enter this giveaway for a paperback copy. Ships internationally. Void where prohibited.

Click Here to Return to the Hop

09.02.12 #SixSunday with Last Call

       Coming soon to FTMP!

Still working on the dratted computer issues. I’ll catch up as I can during the week. ;c)

Last week Nick got a phone call from a man who claimed to know something about Rhys’s whereabouts. The caller instructed Nick to head to the wharf, and this six picks up as he arrives there courtesy of a city bus.

He stepped down and stood on the damp, wind-whipped corner for just a moment, searching the skyline, seeking his bearings in the dark, unfamiliar territory. Few streetlights dotted the industrial silence. Long metal buildings made up the bulk of the landscape, each one separated from the next by an expanse of pitted concrete. In the distance, water sloshed against pilings, meshing with the noise of the rain. The desolation was chilling, but it was the words of the caller that really got under his skin.

I’ve got information about your girlfriend.

*warning: this WIP has not yet met the brutal hand of my editor.*

Enjoy your Sunday six sentences at a time!  To see other participating authors, click here.

$10 Amazon or B&N #giftcard #giveaway

Did You Know?

Every week I give away a $10 gift card to either Amazon or Barnes & Noble, winner’s choice, and there is only ONE way to enter: subscribe by email. Easy, right? But it gets BETTER! Once you subscribe, you are automatically entered every single week for as long as you remain an email subscriber. To enter, sign up using the subscription box at the top of the left hand sidebar. One entry today means one chance to win EVERY WEEK! That’s all there is to it–no, really, it’s that easy–but if you want the fine print, please click here.

Other Benefits for Subscribers

I offer a LOT of giveaways, and by subscribing you’ll be among the first to know about each and every one. I also keep almost all of my giveaways open to international addresses, and this does include paperbacks. (I am so thrilled to say my books have found their way to Ireland and Poland in just the last month!) Okay, enough yappin’. I know why you’re here. *wink*

Drumroll please …

This Week’s Winner

Congratulations to melorabrock, random.org’s choice for this week’s prize. Winners are announced here each week (most often on Saturday) and contacted via their winning email address, so keep an eye on my blog AND your email to claim your gift card.

A “Bad Moon Rising” from D.C. Juris (giveaw@y)

Guess who’s here today? (Okay, quit looking at the title. I saw you, you know.) D.C. Juris, who is not only a talented author but one with a kickin’ sense of humor, is here to tell us about the book behind this awesome cover. Get ready to know the book AND the man, y’all!

Welcome, D.C.! I love your bio. Will you share with our readers a little about yourself?

Hi there! Thanks for having me.  There’s not much to tell, really. LOL I’m kind of boring. I’m a transguy, I write GLBTQ and het romance, mostly contemp and fantasy. I’m married to an awesome guy, I live in Upstate NY with four dogs and three cats. I like photography, gardening, and long drives to nowhere.

You know, you are insanely funny for a boring guy. ;c) Writerly-wise, you have a huge backlist. Before we get into your featured title, can you tell us about an old favorite? Which one of those previous releases holds a special place for you, and why?

I do have a huge backlist! I would say the one that holds a special place is “Betrayed.” That was the first story I ever started, and it went through literally dozens of rewrites before it became what it is now. The character of Meldrick was the first character I ever envisioned, and he’s by far the one I like the most.

I love how you love your first character! (I just want to edit the snot out of mine, so I totally envy the good relationship you have there, lol.) On to Bad Moon Rising – tell us about it!

My featured title is “Bad Moon Rising” an m/m/m romance set in the zombie apocalypse. Here’s the blurb:

Bryce never expected to find himself smack in the middle of a zombie apocalypse, and he certainly never expected to meet the man of his dreams along the way. But there’s more than zombies in the way of his happily ever after. Richard comes with baggage, in the form of his on again, off again bipolar lover Cole, who is off his meds and descending into his own mental hell at an alarming rate. Will the three men be able to work out their romantic feelings? Oh yeah…and then there’s that little issue of the zombies…

Oh, man. That sounds so fabulous. I love the tangle of plot threads! What might readers be surprised to learn about the plot or characters?

I think maybe they’ll be surprised with how I handled the zombies. I hope, anyhow. LOL

Okay, leave us hanging. I’ll, uh, try to hold back the mob. ;c) Let’s have some fun with Bad Moon Rising. What’s the first sentence?

“You know those stories that start out with no &*%#, there I was…?”

LOL! That’s a fabulous start! What’s your favorite line in the book?

LOL Well, my favorite line contains several swear words, so I’ll go with this one:

“I just wondered who the poor schmuck had been before he became our air freshener”

I think that would be my favorite line. It has to be. LOL. However, I’m immensely curious about the banned sentence. *grin* How about an excerpt … three sentences long! Yep, three. Go!

“He’s bipolar, manic depressive, and he doesn’t handle change well.”

“Wow.” I couldn’t suppress a chuckle. “Not his month so far then, huh?”

Richard grinned and shook his head. “Not really.”

I can already see this book is absolutely dripping with your humor, D.C.! I love that! Which scene was most difficult for you to write? Why?

Er…I really can’t say, because it’ll be giving away too much, but I can say that it involved a dog.

ARGH! Okay, at least I know which one I’m looking for, LOL. Which scene would you most like to experience for yourself? From whose POV?

HA! The sex scene, of course, from anyone’s POV. Otherwise, I kinda like all the zombie chase scenes.

Sex or zombies … a toss up? LOL. What inspired the title Bad Moon Rising?

“Bad Moon Rising” is a song by Credence Clearwater Revival, and one of my favorites. It kept running through my head while I was writing.

You totally put the song in my head before I even read the answer to that question, LOL. It’s a great title! Before we take a closer look, what are you currently working on? 

I have over 10 WIPS at the moment, but I’m currently hip deep in a family reunion story.

Bad Moon Rising

Bryce never expected to find himself smack in the middle of a zombie apocalypse, and he certainly never expected to meet the man of his dreams along the way. But there’s more than zombies in the way of his happily ever after. Richard comes with baggage, in the form of his on again, off again bipolar lover Cole, who is off his meds and descending into his own mental hell at an alarming rate. Will the three men be able to work out their romantic feelings? Oh yeah…and then there’s that little issue of the zombies…

Find it @ Breathless Press

D.C. Juris

A Southern transplant who has retained none of his accent but all of his charm, DC Juris is an out and proud transgender bisexual living in Upstate New York with his husband, four dogs, three cats, and a menagerie of Halloween props just creepy enough to keep people guessing about his sanity. He’s still hopelessly single when it comes to the woman in his life, and he’ll gladly entertain offers or applications for the position! In the rare event that he’s not writing, DC can be found surfing the internet for random research, killing things on his Xbox, reading, taking pictures of the world around him, or playing Farmville, to which he admits a complete and totally blissful addiction. You can keep up with him at www.facebook.com/dcjuris, or www.dcjuris.com.

Stalk @ Website | Blog | Amazon | Facebook | Twitter

Giveaway

D.C. is offering a copy of Bad Moon Rising to one random commenter. For a chance to win, #1 Be random. #2 Leave a comment with your email address. Then random things will happen and just like that … a winner! I’d like to thank you all so very much for being here today. I hope you’ll welcome D.C., who is one of the coolest people I know. (Seriously funny FBing. All I’m gonna say). Ah, where was I? Oh, good luck, everyone, and thanks, D.C., for your time and generosity. ;c)

Attn Authors: Gorgeous Pre-Made Covers from Elaina Lee

I’m a huge fan of Elaina Lee’s covers (see my Elaina Lee covers here) and I bet you guys will be, too, when you check out these premades. Authors, she only sells each cover ONE TIME so it will be yours and only yours. If you want to see more, click any image. They’ll take you to her website where you can grab the deets on these gorgeous creatures (or find out how to request a brand new one of your own). Prices are incredible reasonable, too, so grab ‘em before they’re gone!

Christine Warner is “Two-Timing the Boss”

Today I welcome back one of my dear friends, although she seems to be up to no good. *cough* Christine Warner, apparently, is Two-Timing the Boss and — what’s this? — she’s here to tell us all about it. (Yeah, I thought that might get your attention. *grin*) Let’s move to the edge of our seats for the torrid details, shall we?

Welcome back, Christine, and congrats on the release of Two-Timing the Boss. *raises an eyebrow* Do tell what this one is about!

Hey Sarah, thanks for having me back J Your blog is always a fun place to be. Two-Timing the Boss is a sexy, contemporary romance that I had a great time writing.  Here’s a blurb:

Farah Smith is on a mission: secure the funds for her twin sister’s surgery.  She’ll do whatever it takes to succeed.  Even if that means putting her values aside to work for a man she finds morally bankrupt.  But when the real Farah meets her new boss, she wonders if she’ll be able to resist his sexy advances long enough to help her sister.

From the blonde wig, to the stilettos strapped around her ankles, Farah’s a clone of Keller Donovan’s harem of past assistants.  She can’t believe she’s let herself be talked into the disguise, let alone working for the man planning to demolish the hospital her sister so desperately needs, but the salary he offers is the only way she’ll be able to afford her sister’s surgery.  The moment Farah meets Keller she realizes her most daunting task isn’t typing, spreadsheets or organizing travel arrangements, but fighting the growing attraction toward a man whose ruthlessness is legendary in the boardroom as well as the bedroom.

Determined not to end up in a disastrous marriage like his divorced parents, Keller believes all relationships should have a shelf life of sixth months or less.  But when he meets Farah, all bets are off.  He not only wants her to continue as his personal assistant, but his own private bed warmer.  Unfortunately, his offer of an affair doesn’t sit well with her fairytale dreams or the strangled hold gripping his heart.

Oooh, that sounds deliciously intense. Love the high stakes! What was your single greatest inspiration for the story?

I’m not sure I really had one single inspiring moment. Basically, I was driving into work one morning and a title popped into my head. That is how I come up a with a lot of my story ideas J And from that title I came up with a storyline involving twin sisters who would do just about anything they could for the other.

I love how this happens on your way to work, LOL. What might readers be surprised to learn about the plot or characters of Two-Timing the Boss?

That I based a lot of the relationship between Farah and her sister Karah on my own sister and I. And, coincidentally, my sister’s name is Cara J

I wonder what your sister thinks about her role in this story? I’ll save that one for another day, LOL. Let’s have some fun with Two-Timing the Boss. What’s the first sentence?

“He’s ready to see you, Miss Smith.”

Now that conjures up all types of possibilities doesn’t it?  lol

It most certainly does! ;c) What’s your favorite line in the book?

Hmm…that is so hard. I like so many lines and paragraphs and scenes.  J I do really like this sentence because it’s from a scene that was very fun to write. A scene where Farah is on a business trip with her boss, but in her hotel room thinking she’s in the clear and able to remove her disguise.  But when Keller comes knocking, she has a race around the room to put herself back together and when he enters, he seems a bit nervous and she has a bit of fun with him.

“You look like you expect me to drag you into the bathroom to paint your nails and share secrets.”

I can just imagine the urgency and panic she’d feel in that moment, LOL. How about an excerpt … three sentences long! Yep, that’s it. Three!

LOL…you make this so tough on me!  Here’s a little snippet that might give you a taste of what Farah faces.

Her ankles shook with the effort of staying upright when she stepped inside the room.  Damn heels.  She didn’t know how women wore these all day without earning frequent flyer miles on their emergency room VIP cards.

I heartily agree (says the person who got married barefoot to avoid the shoes), LOL! Which scene of Two-Timing the Boss was most difficult for you to write? Why?

The most difficult scene for me to write was the steamy love scene that took place in the back seat of a car. I rewrote it at least six times. My main problem was making sure body parts were in the right places and able to really do what they were doing!  lol

Love scenes are the very bane of my existence. I’m glad I’m not the only one, although I do have to say now I will be paying *very* close attention during that scene of the book. Muahaahaaaahaa! Oh, erm … Which scene would you most like to experience for yourself? From whose POV?

There’s a scene in Las  Vegas where Farah and Keller each face their fears. One of Farah’s is a fear of heights and they go on a ride atop a building. I would love to try that, because I’m afraid of heights to the extreme. But if I did it in Farah’s POV, with hot and hunky Keller by my side, it’d be doable…YUMJ

Yeah, I bet! LOL. (I’m still trying to decide about that ride, but if I can get my husband to Vegas there’s no telling what will happen. Literally.) I love how you wrote that into your story. That’s awesome! Now, what inspired the title of Two-Timing the Boss?

Actually, when I was writing Two-Timing the Boss, the working title was Fakin- It with Farah, but when The Wild Rose Press contracted it they asked if I could come up with another title. So, after brainstorming with my wonderful editor and a couple of cp’s we came up with Two-Timing the Boss.

It’s a fantastic title. Hard not to want to know more when you see it! Before we take a closer look at the story, can you tell us what’s next for you?

I have a book coming out with Entangled Publishing but I don’t have a release date yet. I’m also working on the sequel to Some Like it in Handcuffs which is titled Some Like it on the Run and I have 2 other stories I’m preparing to send into Entangled Publishing as proposals J

(Sneaking in a SQUEEE! before we get to the excerpt. SQUEEEE!) 

Two-Timing the Boss: Excerpt

Keller’s lungs fought for air.  As of late, whenever they were in the same room there wasn’t enough oxygen to go around.  Her eyes glazed over as she stared into his and he realized just what an ass he’d been.

Sure, he needed to keep his distance, but he didn’t need to disrespect her and make her fear she’d done something wrong.

The little bit of jealousy that kept surfacing whenever he thought of her with another man—the man on the phone—was wreaking havoc on his professional life at the office and also his personal life.  But he couldn’t continue to blame his lack of manners and jealous streak on his sleep deprivation.

No way did he want her to feel like she did a bad job, or failed.  From the start he knew Farah prided herself on being a hard and loyal worker.

He ran his hands through his hair.  “You’re right.  Robin made a similar comment, but I didn’t realize how unfair I was being until just now.”

Farah stepped back.  Her eyes circled and her mouth hung open.  “Are you apologizing?  Just like that?”

He nodded.  “I don’t want you to leave, Farah.  Please don’t doubt your abilities as my assistant.  You’ve exceeded even my expectations.”  Keller rubbed the back of his neck.  “The way I’ve been treating you, it’s wrong.  It’s an issue, personal, and I need to learn to deal with it.”  He fumbled over his words, but he didn’t want to reveal too much.  Farah was smart and if he said anything more she might just figure out he had started to think of her in another light besides an employee.

Blurb

Farah Smith is on a mission: secure the funds for her twin sister’s surgery.  She’ll do whatever it takes to succeed.  Even if that means putting her values aside to work for a man she finds morally bankrupt.  But when the real Farah meets her new boss, she wonders if she’ll be able to resist his sexy advances long enough to help her sister.

From the blonde wig, to the stilettos strapped around her ankles, Farah’s a clone of Keller Donovan’s harem of past assistants.  She can’t believe she’s let herself be talked into the disguise, let alone working for the man planning to demolish the hospital her sister so desperately needs, but the salary he offers is the only way she’ll be able to afford her sister’s surgery.  The moment Farah meets Keller she realizes her most daunting task isn’t typing, spreadsheets or organizing travel arrangements, but fighting the growing attraction toward a man whose ruthlessness is legendary in the boardroom as well as the bedroom.

Determined not to end up in a disastrous marriage like his divorced parents, Keller believes all relationships should have a shelf life of sixth months or less.  But when he meets Farah, all bets are off.  He not only wants her to continue as his personal assistant, but his own private bed warmer.  Unfortunately, his offer of an affair doesn’t sit well with her fairytale dreams or the strangled hold gripping his heart.

Find it @ The Wild Rose Press (paperback) | Amazon

Christine Warner

Christine Warner is living her dream in rural Michigan along with her husband, three children, one laptop and a much loved assortment of furry friends.

Besides laughing and a good round of humor, she enjoys spending time with her family, cooking, reading, writing but no arithmitic.  A confessed people watcher, she finds inspiration for her stories in everyday activities.  She loves to read and write about strong heroes and determined, sometimes sassy, heroines.

A girl gone wild, at least where social media is concerned, she enjoys meeting other avid readers and writers on facebook, twitter and her website at christine-warner.com.

And you can find me at:

My blog/website | Twitter @ ChristinesWords | My Facebook page…stop by and give it a LIKE to informed of what I have in the works: click here | Goodreads

If I hadn’t already found you, I’d totally be looking you up, Christine! Thanks so much for coming by today. I hope the book simply explodes for you (in the good way, lol). Congratulations! And thanks to all the readers who stopped by today. I hope you’ll say hello to Christine — maybe have a little word with her about Two-Timing the Boss. *grin*

08.26.12 #SixSunday with Last Call

Coming this summer!

I still don’t have a computer. Please bear with me while I catch up with all of your blogs!

Just as Nick was about to call Cutter (who was Nick’s contact when he worked undercover), he received a call from a man promising he had information regarding Rhys. This takes place after the caller hangs up.

Stunned, Nick sank into the sofa cushions, earlier concerns over the dubious smell emanating from the fabric forgotten. He’d been back in town less than a day. Very few people knew he’d returned, but that wasn’t what left him reeling.

It was a throwaway phone. No one had the number, not even his new slum lord.

Yet someone knew.

*warning: this WIP has not yet met the brutal hand of my editor.*

Enjoy your Sunday six sentences at a time!  To see other participating authors, click here.

$10 Amazon or B&N #giftcard #giveaway

Did You Know?

Every week I give away a $10 gift card to either Amazon or Barnes & Noble, winner’s choice, and there is only ONE way to enter: subscribe by email. Easy, right? But it gets BETTER! Once you subscribe, you are automatically entered every single week for as long as you remain an email subscriber. To enter, sign up using the subscription box at the top of the left hand sidebar. One entry today means one chance to win EVERY WEEK! That’s all there is to it–no, really, it’s that easy–but if you want the fine print, please click here.

Other Benefits for Subscribers

I offer a LOT of giveaways, and by subscribing you’ll be among the first to know about each and every one. I also keep almost all of my giveaways open to international addresses, and this does include paperbacks. (I am so thrilled to say my books have found their way to Ireland and Poland in just the last month!) Okay, enough yappin’. I know why you’re here. *wink*

Drumroll please …

This Week’s Winner

Congratulations to manningjessicar, random.org’s choice for this week’s prize. Winners are announced here each week (most often on Saturday) and contacted via their winning email address, so keep an eye on my blog AND your email to claim your gift card.

Feed Your Reader Blog Hop August 23rd – 29th

The Feed Your Reader Giveaway Hop is cohosted by I Am A Reader Not A Writer and Books: A True Story. All giveaways are ebooks with one BIG exception of an ereader. For details on the big giveaway, please head to the main hop page by clicking the image at right.

The Prize

Today I’m giving away an e-copy of my romantic suspense Unforgiven. The winner may choose from a PDF or a gift copy for Amazon Kindle or Barnes & Noble Nook.

How to Enter

To enter, simply leave a comment with your email address. The winner will be chosen by random.org at the conclusion of the hop and contacted via email. Please consider following my blog or subscribing by email so you’ll be among the first to know about new giveaways, including my weekly gift card giveaway for email subscribers.

Unforgiven

Riley Beckett’s past just came back to haunt her … and this time, he’s got a gun.

When Gage Lawton finds his brother shot dead on his back porch, every shred of evidence points to one person: his former lover, Riley.   They didn’t part ways on good terms, and they’re not going to reconnect there, either—not when he’s got a revolver pointed at her head and a finger on the trigger.

A year after Riley swore she and Gage were over, he returns in a hail of gunfire.  One look into those achingly familiar blue eyes and she knows how wrong she was to let him go, but now far more than their heated past stands in the way.  A twist of fate puts them in the cross hairs of a killer, leaving Riley with two slim options:  trust her greatest betrayer, or face a murderer on her own.

For More Great Giveaways

Please click here to go back to the hop and connect with your chance to win many more fantastic prizes.

$10 Amazon or B&N #giftcard #giveaway

Did You Know?

Every week I give away a $10 gift card to either Amazon or Barnes & Noble, winner’s choice, and there is only ONE way to enter: subscribe by email. Easy, right? But it gets BETTER! Once you subscribe, you are automatically entered every single week for as long as you remain an email subscriber. To enter, sign up using the subscription box at the top of the left hand sidebar. One entry today means one chance to win EVERY WEEK! That’s all there is to it–no, really, it’s that easy–but if you want the fine print, please click here.

Other Benefits for Subscribers

I offer a LOT of giveaways, and by subscribing you’ll be among the first to know about each and every one. I also keep almost all of my giveaways open to international addresses, and this does include paperbacks. (I am so thrilled to say my books have found their way to Ireland and Poland in just the last month!) Okay, enough yappin’. I know why you’re here. *wink*

Drumroll please …

This Week’s Winner

Congratulations to s09131946, random.org’s choice for this week’s prize. Winners are announced here each week (most often on Saturday) and contacted via their winning email address, so keep an eye on my blog AND your email to claim your gift card.